Articles about Hardware

In 2007 I predicted that RAID 5 would cease to work to prevent data loss. And yet, as 2017 dawns, many people are using RAID 5 successfully. No, I wasn't wrong. Here's what changed - and how to save your data when a RAID 5 drive dies.

Sharing the same 2U chassis as the R820 it replaces, the 4-socket R830 delivers a significant performance boost using the latest Intel Xeon E5-4600 v4 processors with high core counts and faster DDR4...

When Apple's new MacBook Pros were announced in October, David Gewirtz's long wait was rewarded with a slightly queasy feeling, because the most obviously powerful model was a 15-inch machine with dual GPU.

The world's first business computer was developed by the Lyons' tea-shop company, based on the University of Cambridge's EDSAC. A plaque has now been installed in Hammersmith, west London, where LEO started running in 1951.

We don't always have access to a fully-equipped toolbox, but with the right multitool, you can always have access to a basic set of hand tools. Here is a selection of the best multitools that I have owned and tested over the years.

Transistors shrinking in line with Moore's Law have given us ever more powerful and smaller computers, as well as today's smartphones. But no one said you need to stick to the idea that processors have to keep getting smaller and faster.

The Raspberry Pi might be the name that springs to mind when people think of single board computers for homebrew projects, but there are other boards out there worth considering. Also added are a selection of accessories to help you make more from your project board.
(Updated Dec 1, 2016)

The 2016 15-inch MacBook Pro delivers professional-level performance in an attractive, lightweight design that also offers all-day battery life. However, it's extravagantly expensive, and the lack of upgradeability is a real weakness.

ASUS has made some sensible trade-offs with this affordable 10-inch Android tablet: the plastic case is sturdy, the moderate screen resolution doesn't cause any serious problems, and battery life is adequate.